When was the last time you searched for yourself or that of your competitors online? Do you know what your profile, or lack of one, says about you or your practice? Can prospective clients find you easily? Was the information correct, outdated or personalized? If you’ve never looked at your online profile or you answered “No” more than “Yes” to these questions, it’s time to take control of your online profile you’re your reputation. If you think this is a waste of time, you should know that today younger and more educated consumers are using the Internet to help them choose a primary care physician or specialist. If they can’t find you, they will find someone else…
As a physician, your online profile generally consists of listings from a variety of sources like: Google Places, HealthGrades, Vitals.com, Angie’s List, Yelp, Physician Associations and many others. These results often appear first when a prospective patient searches for you or your practice. At times, your online profile in these directories can contain inaccurate profile information and, perhaps, negative feedback. If this is the case how will potential clients find you? If they do find you, what will their first impressions of you be?
By taking control of and proactively managing your online reputation you can drive more traffic to your website and practice. These sources can also provide relevant inbound links to your website –which is an increasingly important factor when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO) and where you rank in the search engine results for Google. The bottom line for physicians is that managing your profile can mean more patient referrals and increase business.
If you have not searched for yourself lately, its time you did so. Check out your profile online now:
- Claim Your Google Places Listing
- HealthGrades Physician Portal
- Vitals.com Physician Registration
- Claim Your Angie’s List Profile
- Unlock Your Business Yelp Account
If you need a search engine optimization expert to manage your online profile Patina Marketing offers online physician profile services for the top directories consumers use. We also offer website design, management and inbound marketing, also know as linkbuilding, for physicians and practices who want to increase their visibility online in their key practice areas. Contact us at 805-380-5494 for more information about our services and find out how we can help you increase your visibility and deliver results for your business.
